Improvement in grain-binders



-5 sheets-sheet 1. C. B. WITHINGTONl `G1=-A--1NB1NDER. v N0.174,454. Patented March 7,1876.

.Attorney N4 PETERS. F'HOTLITHDGRAPHER. WAsHxNGToN. D C.

5 Sheets-Sheet Z.

0.3. WITHINGTON.

GRAIN-BINDER.

No. 174,454. Patented March 7,1876.

M0 By .Attorney gy?) M7 (Q'Qm NF\'EPS. PHOTO-UTNOGKAPMER, WASHlNGTON. D. C.

' SSheets-f-Sheet. C. B. WITHINGTON.

GRAIN-BINDER. No. 174,454. l Patented March 7,1876.

WITJV'ESSES INVEJVTR A By /M Attorney To allwhom it mag/concern:

UNITED STATES' iP-Mmmm. f Y

CHARLES B. wI'rHINC'romoF .InNESvILLH WISCONSIN, Assienon To c; H."&v L.` J. MCCCHMICK, 'on CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT lN GRA|N B|NDERS- kSpecification forming part of Letters Patent N0.'l74,454, dated March 7, 1876; application filed ovember V10, 1875.

Be it known that I, CHARLES B. WICIHING- TON, of J anesville, in the county of Rock and i State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in- Grain-Binding mechanism, o f which-the following is a specification: l

My invention morev especially relates tov automatic binders, of the class .having-a binding or wire carrying arm moving in a circular path, and mounted' on a reciprocating carriage.

The subject-matter claimed will hereinafter specifically be designated; H

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a view, in elevation, ofso much of my improved apparatus as is necessary :to

illustrate the invention herein claimedfas seen from the rear, with "the parts in the attitude they assume when the compressing and binding wires are closed upon the bundle.'

Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal vertical section through the apparatus, on the line x x of Fig. 3showing infull lines the parts in the attitude they assume yat the momentv when the bound gavel has been discharged and the binding mechanism ,is ready to move forward again to sei'ze another bundle; the' dotted lines 'show the relation ofthe parts when the bundle is compressed.- Fig. 3 represents an endelevationof the apparatus, partly in section, with the parts inthe position shown `in Fig. l. Fig. 4 represents a view, in elevation, of a portion ofthe apparatus as seenfrom the front, partly in section, on the line y y of Fig. 3, showing the attitude of the parts atthe time the wire is being carried intothe twister, after the compression of the bundle. Fig.`5 represents'a vertical longitudinal section through the binding mechanism beneath\ the platform; Fig. 6, a view, in perspective, of the positive stop-motion feed for the lower wire-spool; Fig; 7, a view, in perspective, of the snail-cam for adjusting the binder-frame on its Ways, and Fig. 8, a view of ,another` portion of said adjusting mechanism, showing the details of its connec-y tion with the binding-machine.

The bindingv mechanism is, by preference, mounted on va suitable frame,A, secured upon the frame of a harvestei1 of lany suitable, wellknownl construction,'having an endless apron for elevating and delivering the cut grain into a suitable receiver, as in the wellknown automatic binders of Watson, Renwick 8U Watson, Carpenter, and McCormick; The grain is delivered from the elevating apron, through an opening in a gallows-frame, A', which constitutes a fixed part of the harvester-frame, upon a slatted inclined receptacle, B', forming an extension of the binding platform B.-4 In order that the wire may be passed around the middle of the bundle, notwithstanding variationsin the length of the grain, I- mount the ventire binding mechanism upon ways: C C',

which permit it to be moved freely backward and forward in a line parallel With the length of the grain. The binding mechanism is driven by cranks, sprocket-wheels, or gearing p actuated by any suitable prime mover, and

mounted on a shaft, C, turning in fixed bearings on the frame. Y

In order to accommodatethe-adjustment of the binding mechanism abovementioned, this shaft C is'arranged parallel with the line of adjustment of the frame, and .in fact, in this instance, constitutes one of the ways upon.

which said frame slides, and the double gear D D', by which the binding mechanism is actuated, is likewise so constructed as to be free to move endwise on the shaft while compelled to turn with it by the usual spline or feather. 'Ihis wheel revolves between jaws of the frame which keep it in proper relation to the gearing driven by it.

In order to place this adjusting movement under the Vcontrol of ythe driver, while in his seat on themachine, I mount a snail-'wheel or cam, E, Fig. 7, upon thegallows-frame above mentioned.

This snail-wheel E-y works in -a rack, F, slidin g in bearings on the frame-piece A', and connected by a link, f, with a vibrating Y lever, F1, fulcrumed on the frame-piece A' at f', connected by a joint-link, F2, with thevsliding frame A,by which mode of construction the driver can readily shift the frame by turning the crank e to bring thebinding-wire to themiddle of the length of the bundle.

The binders platform or receptacle B, it i will be observed, lis adjustable with V'the bind ing-arm, but is stationary relatively to the line of reciprocation of said-arm. A deflector, G, mounted on this receptacle B, slides in guides on the frame-piece A', and is thus kept in its proper relation to the other parts, while adjustable with the binding-platform or receptacle B. f

The binding mechanism in most of its details is similar to that shown in an application for Letters Patent of the United States tiled the binding-arm, and imparts a reciprocating motion to said arm. v

Pitmen N N', pivoted on the crank l' of the shaft L, are respectively attached to the cranks o p of two rock-shafts, O P, concentric with each other, and inclosed within the tubular standard or support M' of the binding-arm.

' (See Fig. 3.) rIhe inner rock-shaft O consists of a steel rod, and carries at its forward end a crank-arm, o', working in a slot of a vibrating compressor, R, pivoted at 1 on some projecting portion of the binding-arm frame, so as to give the compressor a movement eccentric to that of its driving-shaft O, which shaft, owing to the construction above. described, constitutes a torsional spring, allowing the compressing-arm and its drivin g-crank to yield slightly under any excess of pressure over the normal strain of binding the bundle.

I do" not claim, however, the adjustable crank and eccentric compressor above described, these devices being the invention of' Wm. R. Baker, of Chicago, Illinois.

The binding-arm S is mounted on the rockshaft P, and, of course', vibrates concentrically with it.

In a machine organized (as mine is) for the use of two wires, or even the use of a` single" wire, it is highly advantageousto press'the wire into the twister with a 'positive force applied on each side of it. In order to obtain this desideratum I have heretofore used a bifurcated arm; but, as I find it advantageous to give a piercing action tothe point of the binding-arm while obtaining the-advantages ,above mentioned, I now form a vertical longitudinal slot in the binding-arm, and pivot therein, at t, a supplementary arm, T, vibrated at proper intervals by means of a pin on its inner end, taking into a cam-groovet', on the Atubular support M' of the binding-arm, as shown in Fig. 4. The organization of these part-s issuchihat, as the binding-arm moves forward into the intlowing grainl to separate it, the point of the supplementary arm is inclosed within the binding-arm, as shown in Fig. 2, so as not to interfere with the piercing action ofthe latter in separating thegrain;

but when the arm has passed around the bundle, as it is compressed the forward end of the supplementary arm is' thrown inward by its cam, as shown in Fig. 4, and the wire is held securely in proper relation to the twister.

The construction and operation of the binding-head and twisting mechanism Z and its actuating sector-rack y, being similar to that shown in my application of March 5, 1874, need no particular description here. I have, however, substituted a positive feed for the wire-supplying device shown in that application. To this end I mount upon the intermittently-rotating shaft vL a stop-wheel, U, having a single tooth, u, which revolves in the direction'ofthe arrow shown in Fig. 6, and

,gears into a corresponding wheel mounted upon the Wire-reel VI', and provided. with teeth fu, arranged in four sets or pairs, thus intermittently giving oft' a definite amount of wire, regulated by the size of the drum and the position of the teeth. The slack of the band is taken up by the intermediate take-up tension-drum W of the upper wire, which is shown as passing over a pulley, w, on an arm projecting from the binding-arm standard, so as to bring it in proper relation with the binding-head.

The operation of the mechanism, being substantially similar to that shown in my former application above mentioned, need not be particularly described, only so far as to illustrate the peculiarities of the devices herein claimed.

The grain is delivered continuously by the endless apron upon the binding-platform B.

In Fig. 2 the parts are shown in full lines in the` attitude they assume at the moment of the discharge of the gavel. The binding-arm then moves forward to the position shown in Fig. 1, and -pauses while the stirrup-link l is turning with the chain around the sprocket H, which turns the shaft L, causing its crank l' to act through its pitman upon the. bindingarms B S, causing them to descend upon and compress the bundle, and carries the wire into the binding-head, as shown in Fig. 4. The arm then moves backward to the position shown in Fig. 2, twisting and severing the wire as it goes, and the binding arm and compressor retract from the position shown in dotted lines in said figure to that shown in the full lines, leaving the bound bundle upon the platform to be shoved olf by the succeeding bundle.

The positive feed of the lower wire takes place during the retracting movement of the binding-arm, and while the binding-carriage is stationary.

What I claim as my invention isv 1. The combination, substantially as heremaar nections between the shiftinggearing and the.

traversing binding-frame.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of al compressor, a torsionspring, on whichit is mounted, and a crank, by which they are actuated, for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the slotted binding-arm, the supplementary arm, pivoted centrally therein and vibrating through its slot, and the cam which vibrat'es said supplementary arm, for the purpose specified.

V 5. The combination,.substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a reciprocating bindingframe, a vibratin g-bindin g-arm mounted thereon, a supplementary arm pivoted on said vibrating binding-arm, and a twister mounted on the reciprocating"binding-frame.

6. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the slotted binding-arm,

the supplementary arm pivoted therein, and

the vibrating compressor, for the purpose specified.

7. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a reciprocating bindingcarriage, binding mechanism mounted thereon, and a wire-reel, actuated positively during the intermission of the reciproea'tion ofthe binding mechanism after binding the bundle.

8. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the reciprocating bindingframe, the Vibratin g bindin g-arm, the bindinghead, the positive feed for one wire, and the intermediate take-up tension-drum for the other wire, whereby the slack of the positive feed is taken up by the tension-drum.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

GH AS. B. WITHINGTON.

Witnesses:

WM. J. PEY'roN, E. G. DAVIDSON. 

